‘Homebody,’ IndieWire’s June Project of the Month, Shows How to Move Back In With Mom Without Her Knowing

The upcoming short tackles the ever-changing family dynamics for those hovering around their 30s.

Making a short film doesn’t happen by doing nothing. Luckily for Jake Fallon, the writer/director of “Homebody,” making a short film about someone doing nothing is always a possibility.

In “Homebody,” main character Jessie is a stowaway in her mother’s house, living rent-free while trying to avoid being detected. Her story reflects a generational anxiety about shifting expectations, one that Fallon knowingly channeled for his debut short. “We expect immediacy, but when we don’t get it we consider ourselves as failures… This film isn’t about success; it’s about our relationship with failure and the support we need to rebound from it,” Fallon wrote when the film’s Kickstarter campaign first went live.

After two rounds of voting, IndieWire readers selected “Homebody” as the June Project of the Month. Then, last week, just ten weeks after the film’s crowdfunding campaign launch, shooting on “Homebody” wrapped.

We spoke with Fallon via email about the preparation process and what still needs to happen for the film in the next two months.

What’s next for the project?

I’m proud to say that after a rigorous pre-production and a challenging (but well-executed) three day shoot that “Homebody” has been shot, and the footage is gorgeous. I couldn’t be more grateful to my amazing crew, cast, and backers for providing me with the opportunity to bring “Homebody” to life. That being said, there’s a lot left to be done. It’s time for “Homebody” to head in to post production.

What are the biggest challenges for the project?

There’s still a lot to take care of on a razor-thin budget, so there is certainly the possibility of another round of crowdfunding should we not be able to track down outside investors. The first Kickstarter proved itself to be insanely difficult, but it also proved to us that there are people out there who believe in this project’s success. Now that we have this incredible film shot, we have footage that can confirm those beliefs. We’re going to keep spreading the word about “Homebody” and collecting supporters along the way. At the end of the day we’re willing to do whatever it takes to finish the project by our goal date of October 1st.

What are your goals?

High quality work yields high quality goals. We’re planning on submitting to major film festivals as well as exploring the online distribution model, but most importantly we’re looking for a route that will eventually lead to the development and execution of a feature film version. The script clocked in at just under ten pages, so we’ve only scratched the surface of the story. There’s so much left to dive in to be it in the lives of the characters or the pressures put on by the world around them. The plan was, is, and will continue to be to make a beautiful short work that lends itself to the creation of an equally outstanding feature.

What do you wish someone had told you before you started?

Take care of yourself and let others take care of you. There was never any doubt in my mind that I and my team would have the mental fortitude and will power to pull this off, but when challenges arise you so often forget to address your basic human needs. In the three days leading up to the shoot we encountered complications that almost derailed the entire production and before I knew it I had gone two days without eating (not for lack of want, there was just so much to do). Luckily for me I had a friend to buy me dinner and an amazing support system of people that believes in what I’m doing. This project couldn’t have happened and my sanity may have been compromised had I not had the encouragement of my friends and family.